Many Ohio State fans weren’t taking Florida A&M seriously this week, but the Ohio State defensive players were after studying video of quarterback Damien Fleming from last season.

“He’s an athletic guy, he can toss the ball around,” OSU safety C.J. Barnett said. “He has great athleticism. He’s going to be a guy we’re going to have to contain and keep an eye on.”

As Braxton Miller did for the Buckeyes, Fleming took over as starter for the Rattlers in the midst of 2011, his freshman season. He rose to be named second-team all-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season, passing for 2,157 yards,and 16 touchdowns with just five interceptions, while completing 69.5 percent.

That’s why this season has been difficult to figure, in terms of the play of Fleming and the A&M offense. He has completed just 48.4 percent (31 of 64) for 383 yards with five interceptions and only two TD passes through three games. Those games have come against fellow FCS foes Mississippi Valley State, Tennessee State and Samford.

Fleming had his two favorite receivers from a year ago return. But while he and Lenworth Lennon have hooked up 14 times for 229 yards (well on their way to matching their 71 pitch-and-catches a year ago), Fleming and the other returning receiver, Dewayne Harvey have connected just seven times after combining 65 times in 2012.

Yet it’s the potential of the group the OSU defenders are considering.

“Their whole team has some guys who can make plays, some pretty athletic guys,” Barnett said.

Considering the success that California had at times last week with quick screen passes against the OSU defense, safety Corey Brown expects Fleming and FAMU to employ some of those.

“We’re definitely going to see it again until we start stopping it,” Brown said. “I think every team will do it until we stop it.”